Project Narrative Attachment - Alaska Department of ...



STATE OF ALASKA

COASTAL IMPACT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

PROJECT NARRATIVE ATTACHMENT

General Notes to MMS

1. The Alaska Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Division of Coastal and Ocean Management (DCOM) is the designated state agency for CIAP. DCOM will use a reimbursable services agreement (RSA) to sub award the grant to the state agency conducting the project (listed below as the Project Proponent).

2. All products will be available for public use.

3. All required reporting periods will be consistent with regular calendar quarters.

4. All deliverables will be provided to MMS with the required progress report most immediately following completion of the deliverable.

Project Information

1. Project Proponent

ADF&G, Division of Habitat

2. Project Title

Kuk River and Kugrua River Stream Surveys - Baseline Fish Data Collection

3. Project Contact

Contact Name: William Morris

Address: ADF&G, Division of Habitat, 1300 College Road, Fairbanks, AK 99701

Telephone Number: (907) 459-7282

Fax Number: (907) 459-7303

Email Address: william.morris@

4. Project Summary

The Kuk and Kugrua rivers represent major data gaps with respect to our understanding of fish use of large sized North Slope drainages. These rivers are two of the larger flowing into the Chukchi Sea on the North Slope of Alaska yet systematic sampling of the drainages has not been conducted to any level adequate to make fish or fish habitat management determinations or even an evaluation as to their significance to fish. The rivers are both likely to be crossed by pipelines connecting any Chukchi development to the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) and both are in the area identified for placement of any OCS related onshore facilities. Additionally, both systems have extensive estuarine lagoon type habitats that could be impacted directly in the case of a product spill that reaches the coast. The Kuk River is a large uncataloged (not listed in the Anadromous Waters Catalog, the basis of State of Alaska fish habit permitting under AS16.05.871) system likely harboring anadromous whitefishes and salmon as well as resident fish species. The Kugrua River appears to support adequate enough numbers of Chinook salmon that local subsistence users target the species within the drainage, although salmon spawning and rearing habitat appear to be minimal. The Kugrua has not been cataloged or sampled and could be crossed by a pipeline from the Chukchi to TAPS.

This project will collect comprehensive data on fish and aquatic habitats from both rivers establishing a baseline condition for future comparisons. Fish meristics and life history characteristics, as well as all other biotical and physical data, will be collected using established methodologies to ensure their comparability in the future and also to other North Slope aquatic communities.

A. Location

The Kuk and Kugrua rivers are located near Wainwright Alaska on the North West coast. The Kuk River flows into the Chukchi Sea approximately 45 miles north along the coast from Wainwright while the Kugrua River enters the Chukchi Sea about 2 miles south of Wainwright. (See attached map)

B. Duration

4 years – Field work begins June 2011 (Project work would begin Fall 2010) – Field work ends 2014 – Final Reports Spring 2015. (A one year extension maybe needed to complete final report if it goes beyond 4 years from project initiation).

C. Total Project Costs

|Spending Estimate Per Project Year ($) |

|TOTAL |Year 1 |Year 2 |Year 3 |Year 4 |

|1,104,700 |344,650 |243,400 |256,150 |260,500 |

|Funding Year of CIAP ($) |

|TOTAL |FY 07 |FY 08 |FY 09 |FY 10 |

|1,104,700 |X |X |1,104,700 |X |

D. Project Description

The Kuk and Kugrua rivers represent major data gaps with respect to our understanding of fish use of large sized North Slope drainages. These rivers are two of the larger flowing into the Chukchi Sea on the North Slope of Alaska yet systematic sampling of the drainages has not been conducted to any level adequate to make fish or fish habitat management determinations or even an evaluation as to their significance to fish. The rivers are both likely to be crossed by pipelines connecting any Chukchi development to the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) and both are in the area identified for placement of any OCS related onshore facilities. Additionally, both systems have extensive estuarine lagoon type habitats that could be impacted directly in the case of a product spill that reaches the coast. The Kuk River is a large uncataloged (not listed in the Anadromous Waters Catalog, the basis of State of Alaska fish habit permitting under AS16.05.871) system likely harboring anadromous whitefishes and salmon as well as resident fish species. The Kugrua River appears to support adequate enough numbers of Chinook salmon that local subsistence users target the species within the drainage, although salmon spawning and rearing habitat appear to be minimal. The Kugrua has not been cataloged or sampled and could be crossed by a pipeline from the Chukchi to TAPS. Fish sampling using, fyke nets, seines, gill nets, minnow traps and angling would be conducted at least twice per open-water season, at multiple locations (minimum of two) in two years for each drainage (i.e. Year 1 and 2 = Kugrua River, Year 3 and 4 = Kuk River). Sampling duration would be approximately 7 to 10 days per sampling period. Basic fish data would be collected including age/weight relationships, sampled population size and age structure and age at maturity data for non salmon species encountered in large enough numbers to produce reliable data. If sampling in the first year of research indicates that it is appropriate to do so, the second year of sampling may be cancelled and effort shifted to the other river. Additionally, depending on catches during year 1 of sampling at either river, a small radio telemetry component may be added to help more accurately delineate seasonal habitat use of fish in the rivers. All data will be collected using easily repeatable methods such that all metrics are easily comparable to future data collection.

E. Measurable Goals and Objectives

The overarching goal of this project is to describe the fish and aquatic resources of these river systems using both qualitative and quantitative metrics such that a baseline condition can be established.

An ADF&G, Division of Habitat, Technical Report will be completed after each river has been sampled for the prescribed two years. The report will summarize all data collected. Additionally, an interim report will be produced and submitted after the first year of sampling of each river to transmit that year’s data. Production and submittal of interim and final Technical Reports will fulfill our goal of ensuring that information collected will be available to resource managers, industry and the public in a timely manner. Contractor reports will also be submitted to our office and will be submitted to the funding agency and placed on our website for public access. Reports will summarize all data collected. Additionally, interim reports will be produced and submitted to all interested agencies and organizations annually to transmit that year’s data. Production and submittal of interim, Technical and contractor reports will fulfill our goal of ensuring that information collected will be available to resource managers, industry and the public in a timely manner. Additionally, fish distribution data collected will be prepared and submitted for inclusion in the Anadromous Waters Catalog, the basis for State of Alaska fish habitat permitting under AS16.05.871, and the Fish Distribution Database if appropriate. Nominations to the catalog will occur annually as fish data and radio tracking data are synthesized.

F. Cost Sharing or Matching Funds

We do not intend to use CIAP funds for cost sharing or matching.

5. Authorized Uses

The project addresses CIAP Authorized Use 1- projects and activities for the conservation, protection, or restoration of coastal area, including wetlands. This project will provide the necessary data to make assessments of future potential risks to fish and or damage to their habitats from oil and gas development activities or natural stressors and will provide the necessary data to develop measures to ensure the protection of coastal areas and mitigate impacts to fish from oil and gas development. Currently these data are lacking in the proposed study area. The work will be directly relevant to State, Local and Federal agencies for analyzing and reviewing development proposals for the region. Data will be such that they can be directly applied to management decisions related to fish and fish habitat management and oil and gas development by providing fish species habitat use and seasonal patterns of habitat use data that are currently not available for these rivers. We will identify fish species using the rivers, establish population structure baseline data for those species, and identify existing key habitats for spawning and wintering, two of the most critical habitat types for fish in the Arctic and also the most susceptible to perturbation through development activities. Proper protection of these subsistence resources can be accomplished provided we possess the types of data proposed for this project. These data can be used to protect fish and fish habitats during development of the area through incorporation in oil field development design and permitting.

Additionally, with an appropriate level of knowledge of the fish resources in the rivers appropriate mitigation measures can be crafted and implemented.

6. Project Description

List each major task to be funded by this grant separately. Under each task, address items 1-6 as it pertains to that task. The Budget Narrative should address expenses for each of the tasks listed below.

Task I: Kugrua River field data collection/analysis and report writing.

1) Goals: To collect and analyze fish and aquatic habitat data from multiple habitats within the Kugrua River. This project will provide the necessary data to make assessments of future potential risks to fish and or damage to their habitats from oil and gas development activities or natural stressors and will provide the necessary data to develop measures to ensure the protection of coastal areas and mitigate impacts to fish from oil and gas development. Data will be such that they can be directly applied to management decisions related to fish and fish habitat management and oil and gas development by providing fish species habitat use and seasonal patterns of habitat use data that are currently not available for these rivers.

2) Statement of Work: Fish sampling using, fyke nets, seines, gill nets, minnow traps and angling would be conducted at least twice per open-water season, at multiple locations (minimum of two) in Year 1 and Year 2. Sampling duration would be approximately 7 to 14 days per sampling period. Basic fish data would be collected including age/weight relationships, sampled population size and age structure and age at maturity data for non salmon species encountered in large enough numbers to produce reliable data. Additionally, depending on catches during year 1 of sampling at either river, a small radio telemetry component may be added to help more accurately delineate seasonal habitat use of fish in the rivers. All data will be collected using easily repeatable methods such that all metrics are easily comparable to future data collection.

Aerial surveys will be conducted to help identify adult salmon moving into the rivers and to locate spawning areas; radio tracking of any tagged fish would also occur during these flights. If significant numbers of salmon are observed efforts will be made to capture salmon with gill or seine nets to collect genetic samples. Aerial counts will be conducted if conditions are appropriate.

Basic water quality data (D.O., specific conductance, pH and water temperature) will be collected daily at all sample sites Chlorophyll a and qualitative aquatic invertebrate samples will be part of the data collection at all sample sites during each sampling period. These data will provide a baseline data set for these metrics. Invertebrate samples may be preserved and stored for future detailed analysis.

3) Duration: Field work for Year 1 will begin in late June to early July and would be completed by mid-October 2011. Preliminary data analysis and processing will occur once field has been completed for the year. An interim progress report will be submitted to DCOM by January 15, 2012. Data regarding anadromous fish and their use of habitats within the drainage will be submitted for inclusion in the Anadromous Waters Catalog during the first nomination period once data have been reviewed. Field work for Year 2 will begin in late June to early July and would be completed by mid-October 2012. Radio tracking of tagged fish could last until fall 2014. Preliminary data analysis and processing will occur once field work has been completed for the year. An interim progress report will be submitted to DCOM by January 15, 2013. Data regarding anadromous fish and their use of habitats within the drainage will be submitted for inclusion in the Anadromous Waters Catalog during the first nomination period after data have been reviewed. A Division of Habitat Technical Report summarizing all work will be published and submitted to DCOM by June 30, 2015.

4) Milestones: Field Work Year 1 Complete – October 2011, Interim Report Submitted January 15, 2012, Field Work Year 2 complete - October 2012, Interim Report Submitted January 15, 2013, Final Technical Report Submitted by June 30, 2015. Meetings with North Slope Advisory and Subsistence committees and panels will occur as opportunities for scheduling arise.

5) Scheduling factors: Timing of funding could delay project timing by 1 year; some contracts and orders should be let by late winter 2010 for 2011 field work to occur. Weather conditions and timing of key hydrologic events (break-up and freeze-up) can and likely will alter exact dates of field work.

6) Deliverables: Interim Reports and an Alaska Department of Fish and Game Technical Report published to the State Library and the Division’s webpage. Additions to the Anadromous Waters Catalog. Contractor reports will also be furnished and published to the Division’s web page and State Library.

Task II: Kuk River field data collection/analysis and report writing.

1) Goals: To collect and analyze fish and aquatic habitat data from multiple habitats within the Kuk River. This project will provide the necessary data to make assessments of future potential risks to fish and or damage to their habitats from oil and gas development activities or natural stressors and will provide the necessary data to develop measures to ensure the protection of coastal areas and mitigate impacts to fish from oil and gas development. Data will be such that they can be directly applied to management decisions related to fish and fish habitat management and oil and gas development by providing fish species habitat use and seasonal patterns of habitat use data that are currently not available for these rivers.

1) Statement of Work: Fish sampling using, fyke nets, seines, gill nets, minnow traps and angling would be conducted at least twice per open-water season, at multiple locations (minimum of two) in Year 3 and Year 4. Sampling duration would be approximately 7 to 14 days per sampling period. Basic fish data would be collected including age/weight relationships, sampled population size and age structure and age at maturity data for non salmon species encountered in large enough numbers to produce reliable data. Additionally, depending on catches during year 1 of sampling a small radio telemetry component may be added to help more accurately delineate seasonal habitat use of fish in the rivers. All data will be collected using easily repeatable methods such that all metrics are easily comparable to future data collection.

Aerial surveys will be conducted to help identify adult salmon moving into the rivers and to locate spawning areas; radio tracking of any tagged fish would also occur during these flights. If significant numbers of salmon are observed efforts will be made to capture salmon with gill or seine nets to collect genetic samples. Aerial counts will be conducted if conditions are appropriate.

Basic water quality data (D.O., specific conductance, pH and water temperature) will be collected daily at all sample sites Chlorophyll a and qualitative aquatic invertebrate samples will be part of the data collection at all sample sites during each sampling period. These data will provide a baseline data set for these metrics. Invertebrate samples may be preserved and stored for future detailed analysis.

2) Duration: Field work for Year 3 will begin in late June to early July and would be completed by mid-October 2013. Preliminary data analysis and processing will occur once field work has been completed for the year. An interim progress report will be submitted to DCOM by January 15, 2014. Data regarding anadromous fish and their use of habitats within the drainage will submitted for inclusion in the Anadromous Waters Catalog during the first nomination period once data have been reviewed. Field work for Year 4 will begin in late June to early July and would be completed by mid-October 2014. Preliminary data analysis and processing will occur once field work has been completed for the year. An interim progress report will be submitted to DCOM by January 15, 2015. Data regarding anadromous fish and their use of habitats within the drainage will be submitted for inclusion in the Anadromous Waters Catalog during the first nomination period once data have been reviewed. A Division of Habitat Technical Report summarizing all work will be published and submitted to DCOM by June 30, 2015.

3) Milestones: Field Work Year 3 Complete – October 2013, Interim Report Submitted January 15, 2014, Field Work Year 4 complete - October 2014, Interim Report Submitted January 15, 2015, Final Technical Report Submitted by June 30, 2015.

4) Scheduling factors: Timing of funding could delay project timing by 1 year; some contracts and orders should be let by late winter 2010 for 2011 field work to occur.

5) Deliverables: Interim Reports and an Alaska Department of Fish and Game Technical Report published to the State Library and the internet. Additions to the Anadromous Waters Catalog.

Additional Project Information (relevant to all phases of the project funded by CIAP)

Address the following items relative to the entire project to be funded by CIAP.

7. Compatibility/Synergy

This research will be directly comparable to work conducted in freshwater systems in the NPR-A since 2001, much of which has been conducted with other CIAP grants working through the North Slope Borough Department of Wildlife Management. There is currently no similar effort being conducted in the area proposed for this research.

Links to some references produced from similar work:

8. Controversy/Support

Our previous projects on the North Slope have met with considerable support by residents of the North Slope, the North Slope Borough, as well as State and Federal agencies. Letters of support are attached.

9. Bundling

We are not bundling separate projects into this grant.

10. Program Income

No program income will be generated from this work.

11. Maps/Drawings

Please see attached map

12. Project Management Plan

William Morris, Habitat Biologist III, will be the Principle Investigator (PI) for this research. Mr. Morris has initiated and completed numerous studies on the North Slope and has demonstrated his ability to meet project goals, manage budgets and produce usable products in a timely manner. He has 13 years of experience working on the North Slope. Mr. Morris has authored or co-authored well over 20 division Technical Reports, many of which are North Slope specific. A list of all division Technical Reports can be found at our website (). Mr. Morris will ensure that project deliverables are achieved in a timely manner and that all progress reports are completed and submitted on time.

The State of Alaska Department of Fish and Game has dedicated staff within each Division that works closely with the Headquarters Division of Administrative Services to manage budgets, and monitor purchasing, accounts payable and accounts receivable. All financial transactions are recorded through the Alaska Statewide Accounting System (AKSAS). AKSAS is the mainframe application maintained by the Division of Finance and used to manage and track the state’s financial resources. Project expenditures are recorded in the Department of Fish and Game’s Expenditure Tracking System (ETS). ETS manages project accounts and generates detailed reporting on financial data. The Division of Habitat and Division of Administrative Services work together managing project budgets and timely submittal of deliverables.

13. Description of Environmental Impacts

None

14. Relationship to Other Federal Programs

The United States Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management Arctic Team may provide funding in the form of helicopter transportation, fixed aircraft for radio tracking flights and personnel during field work. The United States Fish and Wildlife Service may also provide some field support during field work.

15. Federal, State, and Local Agencies

Letters of support attached.

16. Project Information Questions

A. Environmental Review

1) Does the project require any Federal environmental review (e.g., environmental assessment, environmental impact statement, biological opinion)?

____Yes __X__No

2) Does the project require any State environmental review (e.g., Consistency Determination, State Historic Preservation Office)?

____Yes __X__No

3) Does the project require any local environmental review (e.g., zoning)?

____Yes __X__No

If the answer to any of these questions is “yes,” provide a copy of the environmental review(s) with the grant application.

B. Permits

1) Does the project require any Federal permits?

__X__Yes ____No Temporary fuel storage may require a permit from BLM, BLM will be a partner and as such this aspect will likely be handled in house within the BLM.

2) Does the project require any State permits?

__X__Yes ____No Scientific Collecting Permit is held by the PI.

3) Does the project require any local permits?

____Yes __X__No NSB Department of Wildlife will be a partner in this work so a permit from the NSB should not be needed but will be acquired if needed.

C. Legal Proceedings

1) Are there any pending legal proceedings that have been taken against any of the permits or related environmental analyses required for the project?

____Yes __X__No

If the answer is “yes,” provide an explanation of the pending legal proceeding and the status of it as a separate document.

[pic]

Map 1 Project sampling/study area. Fish sampling would be conducted in several locations within the Kuk River and Kugrua River drainages within the yellow cross-hatched area depicted on the map. Aerial surveys flown to relocate radio tagged fish could extend outside the area depicted.

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